Impelling device



Nov. 4, 1930. J. H. DAVIS IMPELLING DEVICE Original Filed June 21. 1928 INVENTOR.

TTORNEYS Patented. Nov. 4, 1930 r I *umEb STATES OFFICE JoHN r1, Davis-"or New ,YORK,,1\T.,Y., ASSIGNOR TQ'AIBLINE TRANSPORTATION com- 1 Perr on HI ADELPHIA,imivnsytvmvm;aconronnrioiv or DELAWARE HIMPELLING n'EvIoE Application, fi1edQJ'une'21', 1928, Serial No. 287,126. Renewed lllljareh 21, 1930.

This invention relates to: aeronautics, and is especially designed for use inheavier-than air crafts. The principal object ofthef invention is to dispense withthe usual airplane 5 Wings and to enable a heavier-.than-air craft to lift itself vertically particularly in starting, and to arrest dropping in *landin'g,

and to enable it tosustain itself in flight, and also to hoverlover a landing place or other object. j l 1 e Anotherobject of the invention is to provide an attachment forairp'lanes'which will enable the airplane when starting to lift itself so as to freeit'from theearth' and read 5 ily clear obstructions which otherwiseit wouldnot be able to clear because oftheload itcarri'es, or lack of space to takeeolf in starting; Another obje'ctis to enable the air:- plane to hover over an object or l'ocation if V v desired, and to .arrest its descent as it-nears the ground, thereby preventing damagev to the plane,which'would occur if dropping too rapidl when landin'gfiA further object is to ena 1e the operator to use such lifting means to prevent side slip of the plane, and p to keep the plane on an even keel, in event a Wing should break or should be subjected to unequal pressure tending to turn the airplane over. a i

A further object of the invention is'to provide a plurality ofair displacing attachments which can be operated from the'motor independently of "the propeller, or in connection with the propeller, as desired, andin the present preferredform'ofthe invention these displacers force air downwardly to cause the craft to rise vertically; and also create a suction which tends to lift the craft upwardly.

g In the present preferred form of'the invention one or'more of these air displacersmay be arranged at eachsideof the fuselage, and

one or more thereofmay be arranged within the fuselage. H V

I'will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawingwhich diagrammatically illustrates one embodiment-thereof as applied to a heavier-than -airr =craft, to enable others skilled in the art to 5 adopt and use the same; Theessentials of hereinafter described;

the invention and the novel combinations of parts and novel features of construction for a which protection is desired, are summarized my invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionon the line Fig. 3 is anenlarged plan showing ad jacent impellers and their cylinders. o

1 F ig 4E isja transversesectionon the line 7 4 4,-Fig. 3. 1 In the drawing F representsthe fuselage of the air craft whichneed not be, but maybe,

provided with wings, I no wings being shown .endof, the ,fuselage F is a propeller D by which the craft is drawn through the air, the

.inthe drawing, my lmpelling device taking propeller D being mounted on a shaft D opera'ted by a'motor or engine M, of any desired type, through a clutch conventionally shown at C, whereby the propeller may be caused to idle while, the motor M'is stillrunnin At the end of motor M opposite'from clutc C is a'shaft M5 having a gear G thereon which drives through intermediate gears two shafts S fand Sfarranged at opposite sides of the fuselage Fabove the center of gravity thereof, said shafts extending substantially the full length of the body of the;fuselage from motor Mto the rearportion adj acent theelevafor R and rudder RV. ShaftsS and S are mounted insuitablebearings B and 13 secured to the innertsides of the fuselage F and are driven at the same speedin opposite directions as I Shaft S is provided with a gear 'Gfl opposite the gear G on shaft M, two intermediate gears G3 and G -beiiiginterposed between the gears 'G"andG whereby shaft S is driven in f a direction oppositeto that of shaft M Shaft S is provided'with a gear G opposite the gearGr and of samesizeas gear "G an idler gear G being interposed between the gear Gyand G5 whereby shaftS'isdrivenat the same speed as shaft S but me direction opposite thatof shaft S by reason of the fact that only one idler gear is interposed between arms are rot'a'ted and at the outer end of each arm A is arranged a series of pistons P hereinafter described. The opposite ends of the arms A are preferably provided with QOlll'ltQl". weights A for counterbalancing the weight of the arms and their pistons. Preferably the arms on each shaft S and S are arranged opposite each other in order to properly balance the same.

Pistons P preferably comprise a series of spaced cross'arms evenly spaced von each arm from the outer end of'the arm and adapted as the arms are rotated to extend through openings F beyond the side of the fuselage F. Preferably each cross arm is of stream line cross-section as shown in Fig. 4:" the overeall thickness of the cross-arm being substantially about of the width'and the forward edge of the cross-arm in the direction'of rotation being blunt, the rear edge tapering to a point whereby as the crossarms or pistons P pass through the cylinders Q (hereinafter described) aimaxinnnn downward pressure or lift will beexerted and after the pistons P have passed through the cylinders Q a minimum reaction in an upward direction will be cross section and'adapted to closely receive piston being of stream-line cross-sect1on the pistons P as the arms rotate, the pistons entering theupper end of the cylinders and passing downwardly therethrough as the arms rotate. Openings Q are also provided in the block whereby the arms may read.- ily pass therethrough as shown in Fig.

such openings being made as small as possible so as to provide a maximum impelling force due to sudden checking of air flow around the pistons as the pistons pass through the cylinders. WVhile the stream-line pistons P are passing through the cylinders Q both pressure below and suction above is created; but after the pistons leave the cylinders the same while travelling the rest of their orbit offer a minimum resistanceto the air. By rotating the'pistons- P at high peripheral claims.

great lifting effect is actually obly, and the propeller D may be clutched to or declutched from the motor whereby both propeller D and the impellers P may be driven separately or simultaneously and thereby impart any horizontal or vertical mot-ion desired to; the craft.

The motor may be of any desired type, and may comprise a motor-generator unit, and in place of the, fly wheels S on the shafts S and S I may provide electric motors the armatures of which may take the place of the fly wheels,and the individual motors for each shaft S or S may then receivepower from the main motor-generator unit. Any desired hookup for the arms A may be provided and'any number of shafts may be provided carrying any number of such arms .consider my invention limited to the specific;

formshownih the drawing nor confine its 7 use toair craft only. Obviously changes may be made in the device within the scope of the I claim 1. An impelling device, comprising a piston adapted to travel in an orbital path, and a cylinder in the path of said piston conforming in area therewith and adapted to check the air flow around the piston when passing therethrough causing a maximum resistance.

2. In a device as set forth in claim 1-; said whereby a minimum resistance to the air is set up'except when passing through the cylinder.

5. An impelling devicefor air craft comprising opposed sets of pistons at each; side of the craft adapted to travel synchronously in an orbital path, and cylinders at the sides of the craft in the path of each piston conforming in area therewith and adapted to check the air flow around thepiston when passing therethrough causing a maximum rev sistan'ce.

6. In a devlce as set forth in claim 5; each piston being of stream-line cross-section whereby a min mum resistance to the air is the pistons when passing therethrough causlng amaximum air resistance.

14. In a device'as set forth in claim 13 each piston being of stream-line cross-section whereby a minimum resistance to the air is set up except when passing through the cylinder.

JOHN H. DAVIS.

setup except when passing through the cylv inder.

- 7 An impelling device for air craft comprising opposed sets of pistons arranged at each sideof the craft; means for driving the I pistons in an orbital path; said pistons traveach side of whereby a the pistons when passing eliing synchronously in opposite direction and cylinders at the sides of the craft in the path of each piston adapted to check the air flow around the piston when passing therethroughcausing maximum air resistance.

8. In a device as set, forth claim 7 each piston being of 1 stream-llne cross-section whereby a minimum resistance to the air is set-up except when passing through the cyhnder.

9. A lifting device for bodies comprising opposed shafts at each side of the body means for rotatingthe shafts in opposite directions;

tons on said arms;

arms on said shafts; pisseries of opposed and cylinders at each side of the body in the path of the pistons I adapted to check the air flow around the pistons when passing therethrough causing a maximum air resistance.

10. In a device as set forth in claim 9;

each piston being of streamline cross-section minimum resistance to the air 1S set up except when passing through the cylining opposed horizontal shafts at each side of the craft; means for rotating the shafts at each side at the same speed but in opposite directions; series of opposed arms on sai shafts; pistons on said arms, and cylinders at tons adapted to er. 11. A lifting devicefor air craft, compristhe craft in the path of the pis-' whereby a minimum resistance to the air is 7 set up except when passing through the cylinder. v V

13. A lifting device for-air craft comprising opposed horizontal shafts at each side of'the craft; means for rotating the shafts I at each side at the same speed but in opposite directions; series of opposed arms on said shafts; a series of spaced pistons adjacent.

the outer end of each arm and cylinders at each side of the craft in the path of said pistons adapted to check the air flow around 

